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Belladrum 2009 Review

http://lifeattheendoftheroad.wordpress.com/2009/08/10/

E-festivals Review - Belladrum

So Saturday comes to us, and it's the final day. I am up and about as I want to see the 3 Daft Monkeys, but yet again there is a clash this time with the The Dangleberries. 3DM win out, but I am disappointed for them that they have a lunchtime set. They still managed to draw an audience of around 300, which for a festival lunch is not too bad, even with Athene Roberts having a croaky voice.

Most of the tracks they played came from last year's album 'Social Vertigo', and once they get too the title track of 'Social Vertigo' Tim Ashton gets the crowd dancing. Their set really did set me up for the day, but I was still sad at missing the Dangleberries, and I do think maybe a little more thought could go into the scheduling. The day was followed by wandering around and just chatting to folk and my daughter.

I was just waiting on Noah and the Whale, as I missed seeing them anywhere last year and wanted to see if they had any new stuff. Then to my utter joy I was walking to the Bellabar, and the where The Dangleberries playing an impromptu set within a wooded area called the 'Treelaxation'. They could not have found a better venue for it as well. They seemed to be hidden amongst the bushes, and that just added to the atmosphere.

The Dangleberries are a pipe and drums band but with a twist. They play traditional tunes but also do covers as well, and here I heard anything and everything, from Valerie to the Screaming Yap Yaps. They have a lot of energy and it is refreshing to see a band laughing and joking amongst themselves whilst playing. They get the crowd dancing and involved, having people from the crowd dancing in front of the band, with a particular lady grabbing folk from the crowd. I managed to get behind the crowd and got some really good photographs of one of the best crowds of the festival, again young and old alike, (unfortunately I left my camera on the bus)

Wickerman Festival - Saturday 21st July 2007

Dumfries & Galloway Standard:

"Over 18,000 music pilgrims from across the UK swarmed the Galloway hills over the weekend to take part in Scotland's hottest festival.

For many, Saturday's performance by The Dangleberries in the Bellhaven Best Tent was one of the true highlights of the festival. The powerful mix of drum and pipes to contemporary classics had the canvas rattling"

Tartan Hearts Festival Belladrum

‘Caledonia’, by the way, was being played by the Dangleberries, a group from Galloway who mix pipes and drums with electric guitars. Their choice of material is quite eclectic, and they treated the crowd to ‘We Will Rock You’ and Black Sabbath’s ‘Paranoid’ as well as some more traditional tunes. Before going off the stage they promised that they would make a reappearance at the bar. True to their word, they struck up again later in the afternoon, much to the delight of those stuck in the lengthy queue.

By Bruce Munro, 2006 at hi-arts.co.uk

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